It's hard to believe that there are still movies out there as brilliant as this one that I've never seen... or in fact never heard of. But "It Happened on Fifth Avenue" is easily overlooked. It's a sort of accidental masterpiece, a seemingly minor film that turns out to be absolutely unforgettable on several levels.
The plot certainly sounds like pure Hollywood cliché: a tramp spends winter each year in a rich man's shuttered New York mansion. He picks up a variety of stragglers, and works like a good fairy to help them with their lives.
But in practice, it all becomes fresh and original. Time and again, the film veers away from obvious plot points, into realms of zaniness that rival the most famous screwball comedies. These twists in turn bring out unexpected depths in the otherwise stereotypical characters. (There are some obvious similarities to "My Man Godfrey.")
Direction varies - at times awkward, yet frequently sublime. For example, some reaction shots are badly misjudged, obviously spoken to a camera. But there are also many little set-pieces, or even individual shots, that will make you fall off your chair. There's a side-splitting little monologue by the owner of an old-clothing shop, about divorce and woolen suits. And an entirely gratuitous distraction with a restaurant table, that's worthy of Monty Python or the Marx Brothers.
"It Happened on Fifth Avenue" is a film that sneaks up on you. Don't be misled by the formulaic B-movie trappings, or the absence of major stars. This is a film not to be missed, at Christmas, or any time.
The plot certainly sounds like pure Hollywood cliché: a tramp spends winter each year in a rich man's shuttered New York mansion. He picks up a variety of stragglers, and works like a good fairy to help them with their lives.
But in practice, it all becomes fresh and original. Time and again, the film veers away from obvious plot points, into realms of zaniness that rival the most famous screwball comedies. These twists in turn bring out unexpected depths in the otherwise stereotypical characters. (There are some obvious similarities to "My Man Godfrey.")
Direction varies - at times awkward, yet frequently sublime. For example, some reaction shots are badly misjudged, obviously spoken to a camera. But there are also many little set-pieces, or even individual shots, that will make you fall off your chair. There's a side-splitting little monologue by the owner of an old-clothing shop, about divorce and woolen suits. And an entirely gratuitous distraction with a restaurant table, that's worthy of Monty Python or the Marx Brothers.
"It Happened on Fifth Avenue" is a film that sneaks up on you. Don't be misled by the formulaic B-movie trappings, or the absence of major stars. This is a film not to be missed, at Christmas, or any time.